The House

The historic, three-story home that houses Uptown Porch was built in 1895. For decades, the house was the home of a single family, but after the Great Depression, the economic gloom for which Uptown had become notorious befell the house too. During the following years, the building became a boarding house and the site of other inauspicious uses, including use as a moonshine distillery. In 1929, the Chicago Tribune reported that “dry raiders” had confiscated a 600-gallon still and 950 gallons of alcohol from the house. In 1962, the house was purchased by Lakeview Church of Christ, and was used as a parsonage until it fell into disrepair. A full renovation of the structure will commence in 2016 and is anticipated to house the inaugural group of Uptown Porch residents in Fall 2017.